This invention relates to an inductive coupling apparatus for charging an electric car.
In general, an inductive coupling apparatus includes a core assembly which constitutes a magnetic circuit for magnetically coupling a primary coil in a primary coil unit connected to an external power source apparatus to a secondary coil in a secondary coil unit connected to a power battery in the electric car. When the units are interconnected and the primary coil is energized, an induction electromotive force is generated in the secondary coil by a generated magnetic flux to charge the battery.
In such an inductive coupling apparatus, the core assembly generates heat due to a hysteresis loss of a magnetic material. A coil supporting portion of a core in the core assembly is apt to accumulate heat, since the coil covers the coil supporting portion. Consequently, there has been a problem in which the inductive coupling apparatus as a whole is subjected to a rise in temperature by a heat source emanating from the core upon charging the battery.